Dawson’s Creek icon and former teen heartthrob James Van Der Beek has revealed he’s battling stage 3 colorectal cancer.
The 46-year-old actor and devoted father of six shared his diagnosis with People magazine, hoping to raise awareness around this serious illness. Van Der Beek first noticed changes in his health back in June 2023 but officially shared the news on 3 November 2024, shedding light on a journey that’s been both personal and challenging.
James Van Der Beek has issued a personal statement that he is battling stage 3 colorectal cancer. The 46-year-old actor and father-of-six shared the news with People Magazine to raise awareness about the disease.
James shared the news on 3 November 2024 but has been dealing with changes in bowel movements since June 2023.
Too much coffee
At first, the Dawson’s Creek star thought his bowels were acting up because he drank too much coffee. But after he cut back on coffee and cream and he was still experiencing symptoms, he scheduled a colonoscopy.
Following his colonoscopy, he wasn’t worried.
“I felt really good coming out of anesthesia, that I’d finally done it,” he says. “Then the gastroenterologist said — in his most pleasant bedside manner — that it was cancer. I think I went into shock.”
“I’d always associated cancer with age and with unhealthy, sedentary lifestyles. But I was in amazing cardiovascular shape. I tried to eat healthy — or as far as I knew it at the time.”
A private battle
“Apologies to all the people in my life who I’d planned on telling myself. Nothing about this process has occurred on my preferred timeline…
But we roll with it, taking each surprise as a signpost, pointing us toward a greater destiny than we would have discovered without divine intervention.
I’ve been dealing with this privately until now, getting treatment and dialing in my overall health with greater focus than ever before. I’m in a good place and feeling strong.”
Got a lot to live for
James also shared that he is feeling strong and in a good place.
“I’ve really been so blessed with my wife and kids. I’ve got a lot to live for, and it’s a beautiful life. This has been a crash course in the mastery of mind, body, and spirit.
“I thought, ‘This is either going to take me out of the body, or it’s going to teach me how to truly live in it.’
That’s one of the reasons I want to talk about it and the reason I’m talking about it so openly.”
Sobering Statistic … 1 in 15
Australia has one of the highest rates of bowel cancer in the world; 1 in 15 Australians will develop the disease in their lifetime. It is considered the fourth most commonly diagnosed cancer and is also considered Australia’s second deadliest cancer.
Like James, many people associate bowel cancer (or colorectal cancer) with old age and genetics. While the risk rises sharply and progressively from age 50, the number of Australians under age 50 diagnosed with bowel cancer has been increasing steadily.
It’s important to know the symptoms of bowel cancer and have them investigated if they persist for more than two weeks.
What are bowel cancer symptoms?
- A change in bowel habits
- Blood in or on your stool (bowel movement)
- Diarrohea, constipation, or feeling that the bowel does not empty all the way
- Abdominal pain, aches, or cramps that don’t go away
- Weight loss, and you don’t know why
Almost 99% of bowel cancer cases can be treated successfully when detected early. For more information, visit Bowel Cancer Australia.
